Kitui ward reps move to oust clerk over car, house loan funds

Kitui ward representatives are an angry lot after discovering that their car loan and mortgage fund was put in a fixed deposit account by the assembly clerk.

The Sh100 million kitty cannot be accessed until the maturity date and has been earning interest at the Family Bank’s Kitui branch, contrary to the provisions of Public Finance Management Act.

Since August last year, the 54 elected and nominated MCAs have been pushing Kitui County Assembly Clerk Elijah Mutambuki to table regulations governing operation of the car and mortgage fund.

But seven months later, the county lawmakers were shocked to learn that the funds are held in the fixed deposit account.

“When you put public funds in fixed deposit account, it means you have to delay their spending until the bank’s maturity period, and that postpones the government programs,” said Kitui County Finance minister Mary Nguli.

According to the County Assembly Services Act 2017, each member is entitled to a car loan of Sh2 million and a mortgage facility of Sh3 million, all payable within their five-year term.

The MCAs now want both Family Bank and Mr Mutambuki to disclose how much interest the funds have earned and the beneficiaries of the illegal scheme.

“This is a clear abuse of power and a deliberate scheme by the clerk to undermine the welfare of MCAs,” said Mr Nzomo Mwalali, ward representative for Mbitini.

Contacted for comment, Mr Mutambuki promised to respond to the allegations asking for more time.

On its website, the bank doesn’t disclose the interest rates for fixed deposit accounts but such accounts yield high-interest.

OUSTER PETITION

A petition seeking the clerk’s ouster over the issue has been signed by 47 of the 54 MCAs and is now before the County Assembly Speaker George Ndotto.

The MCAs also accuse the clerk of using abusive and demeaning language and frustrating their work by withholding their allowances.

“We, the undersigned petitioners being MCAs draw the attention of the Board that Section 22 of the County Assembly Services Act provides that the clerk may be suspended or removed from office due to gross misconduct, incompetence or violation of the Constitution” reads the petition dated June 14.

Minority Leader John Mbaki Kisangau said members from both sides of the House were fed up with Mr Mutambuki’s "bullying."

Mr Kisangau, who is ward representative for Kwa Vonza, said the assembly has been reduced to a talking shop where members are frustrated and treated worse than school children by the clerk.

“We’ll not relent on this one. The Speaker has requested for more time for the Board to look into our petition but no other business will be conducted until our grievances are addressed” said the MCA.